Nightmare Hunters
by KESwriter
Summary: Reid's consciousness has been abducted and it is up to the team to go deep into his mind and save him.
1. Chapter 1

Lengthy Author's Note:

My mom has been sick for a couple weeks and my mind has just been…not here. I know I'm starting another story. I'll return to all of them in time. This one should be fun. I need fun right now with a touch of horror.

Reid's consciousness has been abducted and it up to the team to go deep into his mind and save him.

Nightmare Hunters

During her weeks of little sleep while Reid was incarcerated, Garcia didn't notice the name "Bella Tor" on the visitor log. If she had, she would have noticed the names combined as "bellator" would mean "warrior," in Latin. But she didn't and it was one mystery Garcia wouldn't bother considering when there was so much else to worry about.

…

The woman came in dressed in a muted red, not quite pink, blazer with matching pants, and a cream blouse. Her curly red hair was piled up in a neat bun. With a string of pearls and black kitten heals, she could not look more business-like if she tried.

Reid didn't look surprised to see her. They both wordlessly sat down.

"You're not dreaming," the woman stated.

"It is kind of hard to in here," he said sharply.

"Clear your mind as I taught you," she stated.

"You don't think I've tried that?" he said angrily. "I'm just trying to remember what happened to me eight days ago when I was awake but drugged."

"I know you're frustrated," she said calmly. "But we still need you."

"Does the world really need me to be developing theorems in my sleep that badly?"

"You underestimate the need for your ideas in the universe."

"I will try, but I make no promises," he said.

"You will get through this," she said firmly.

"Then help me remember," he said desperately. "Use your abilities."

"You know I can't," she said in a gentler tone. "There are rules."

He slammed his palms on the table.

"Damn you," he said angrily.

She started to get up. "Try to clear your head at night and dream. Hopefully I'll see you in the dreaming."

He snorted. "Sure."

…

Prentiss was getting dressed. They had run her through a barrage of tests and only found a mild concussion and bruised ribs. J.J. had two broken ribs plus several major contusions. Rossi needed stitches above his left eye. Alvez's ear drum was blown and three of his fingers were broken. Lewis was sprayed with shards of glass. Walker had it the worst and was in a drug-induced coma for his injuries.

It was midmorning by the time she was able to enter his room. It was awful. She had just gained back one team member was now on the verge of losing another. It didn't seem fair.

J.J. approached her.

"It seems like we can't catch a break," she said.

It started to pour outside his window. "Why is it the world so set against us sometimes?" she asked.

"I don't know," J.J. said. "But something has got to give."

There was a lightning strike followed by thunder that shook the windows.

Rossi appeared. "Any new leads on Scratch?"

"SWAT found the house covered in detailed notes for Cat Adams about how to access the prison where Reid would be staying and how to lure Lindsey into the scheme," Prentiss said.

"Well that answers one question and leaves a million more open," he said. "Lewis should be out soon. They just pulled out the last fragments of glass."

J.J.'s phone rang. She looked at the number. "It's Spence."

"Probably wondering what is going on," Alvez said as he appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, Spence," she said.

"Is this J.J.?" Diana Reid asked.

"Yes. What is it Mrs. Reid?" she said switching to speaker phone.

"It's my son. He won't wake up. He won't wake up!"


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the support!

Chapter Two:

" _Extreme narcoleptic episode."_

" _We don't know how long he'll be asleep. Has he gotten much sleep in the last six weeks?"_

" _We'll keep you informed of any changes."_

These phrases spun around Prentiss' head as she watched Reid sleep. He didn't look comfortable as there was a slight grimace on his face and his eyes were clenched shut. Prentiss didn't know what he was thinking while he slept but it couldn't be pleasant.

She shook her head. This wasn't fair. After all he'd been through, lack of sleep had taken him down. Prentiss should have done more. She should have done more to get him out sooner.

Rossi appeared.

"Beating yourself up over what you have no control over?"

She looked up at him. "You know me too well."

"The kid will wake up," Rossi said. "I'm sure of it."

"I wish had I had your confidence," she said. "The doctors said he could be in this form from any amount ranging from a few days to a few months."

"Try to stay positive Emily," Rossi said. "It is the only thing that is keeping me sane."

"I'll give it a shot."

With a clanging sound, the power went out.

"So much for being positive," Prentiss said as a loud banging sound started as the generators kicked in.

"I spoke with one of the nurses," Rossi said. "A nasty storm is brewing and none of weather men can figure out where it is coming from."

"Hey guys," J.J. said. She looked completely soaked to the bone and her hair was a mess.

Rossi stared at her. "Did you swim here?"

"It felt like it," she said and turned to Reid. "He doesn't look well."

"How's his mom?" Prentiss asked to distract her briefly.

"Thankfully, for once, she forgot about Reid falling into a coma. I told her he was at the beach and she said she hoped he packed plenty of sunscreen. The nurse seemed really nice and not psychotic."

"Ignorance can be bliss," Rossi said.

There was another lightning strike followed thunder that shook the whole building.

"Why does it feel like we are at the center of a storm?" Prentiss asked.

"Because we are," J.J. said. "I looked up the weather on my phone and we're at the center of what is being described as a 'hurricane-like storm.' It only stretches for a few blocks. The hospital isn't accepting any new patients and I had to flash my FBI credentials to get in."

"The world is mourning the loss of Spencer and Walker," Prentiss said absent-mindedly.

With a thunderclap, a woman dressed in a red business suit with red hair piled in a neat bun appeared.

"You're partially right," she said simply. "The world is missing Spencer Reid."

"Who are you?" Rossi asked. "And where did you come from?"

"Those are two very complicate questions," she said.

A very wet Garcia suddenly rushed in followed by Alvez and Lewis.

"How's Boy Wonder?" she asked and stopped in front of him. "He looks sad."

"You can help him," the woman said. "But first you need to believe."

She let out a soft whistle.

Everyone closed their eyes. For five seconds, each of their faces was filled with ecstasy. When they opened their eyes, their cheeks turned red and they couldn't look their coworkers in the eye.

"What did you do?" J.J. asked.

"I gave you each a chance to visualize your greatest sexual fantasy."

"How did you do that?" Alvez asked.

"I am not human like you," she said. "I guard another realm known as the Dreaming, the place where you go when you go to sleep. Spencer Reid is a human architect. His dreams of science, arts, and math, fill the realm with ideas for other like-minded individuals. He inspires people in his sleep."

"Are we really expected to believe all that?" Prentiss asked.

She whistled again and the agents closed their eyes. This time looks of horror appeared. Alvez tried to swat things off his arm and J.J. was breathing heavily. There were tears in Lewis and Garcia's eyes and Rossi moaned. Prentiss gripped her stomach as though there was a wound. They opened their eyes after five seconds and looked relieved to see each other.

"Nightmares?" Prentiss asked.

She nodded.

"So, what are you?" Garcia asked.

"I am a nightmare hunter. I need your help fighting the monsters that plague Spencer Reid before the Dreaming collapses and chaos reigns."


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the support!

Chapter Three:

Prentiss sighed.

"We can either keep asking questions about you or we can start asking questions about how to save Reid. I don't buy 'chaos reigning down,' but if there is a way for us to help Reid, I'm for it. Anyone else?"

"I'm not sure I believe any of this either," Rossi said. "But a wise person taught me to keep an open mind." He looked to Reid. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"Same here," J.J. said. "Anything for Spence."

"I have been working hard to protect him up to this point," Alvez said. "I'm not going to stop now."

Lewis shrugged her shoulders. "If there is a million in one chance this is real, it is worth exploring. I'm in too."

"Never count me out of a fight for the ones I love," Garcia said. "Even if it is supernatural."

"Good," the woman said.

"One quick question," Prentiss said. "What is your name?"

"I go by many names but you may call me Bellator," she said.

"What now?" Rossi asked.

"Gather around him. J.J. take one hand and Garcia, take the other. The rest of you, hold hands forming a circle around him with me in the middle. When I whistle, you will enter his dreams."

They began to arrange themselves around Reid, who looked even more miserable.

"One more question," Alvez said. "What happens if we 'die' in the dream?"

"If your team fails to save Reid, you will die in the real world also," she said. "Are we ready?"

"As possible," Rossi said.

They all joined hands and Bellator let out a high-pitched whistle. They closed their eyes and the world went dark.

…

There was the sound of screeching breaks and rushing wind. The team opened their eyes and looked around. They were alone on a subway platform.

"Guys I recognized the platform," J.J. said. "This is Spence's stop."

Rossi looked around then to Bellator. "Where do we go?"

"Follow your instincts," she said. "Reid's mind will take you to where you need to go."

Prentiss was staring at Rossi. "You look younger," she said. "And you don't have stitches."

Alvez raised his hand. "I don't have any broken fingers."

"You are all present in your best forms here," Bellator said. "Prepared to face anything."

A train stopped at the platform. They all instinctively reached for their guns.

"Look out!" Bellator shouted.

A man in a black hood with a gold mask came running down the platform. He was holding a sword made of lightning.

Bellator's business suit transformed into red armor complete with helmet. She pulled out her own sword made of red flames.

"Go," she said. "I'll hold him off."

"But we need you as our guide!" Prentiss shouted.

"Get on the train. Reid will take you where you need to go. There are enemies everywhere. You will wake up when you have defeated them all."

"What about you?" Lewis asked.

"It is an honor to die for him. Please tell him that," she said and ran.

Prentiss got on to the train. "Come on," she said. "We're here for Reid."

Everyone quickly got on the train. It slowly rolled away. They watched as the two swords clashed and briefly lit up the darkness.

The subway train was empty. They stared around before slowly sitting down.

"Where do you think we're going?" Lewis asked after a couple minutes.

Light burst through the windows and the train stopped. The doors hissed open. Feeling as though they had no choice, they got out.

Rossi looked up for signs. "Morgan Boulevard Station," he said read. "Are we visiting Morgan here?"

J.J. suddenly look alarmed. "No that's not it. It's worse."

She began to panic and Prentiss stared.

"What is it?"

"You look lovely today J.J.," Reid said.

They turned around to see the area crowded with people who seemed to ignore the team. Reid was dressed in beige pants and a long-sleeve red dress shirt. He was holding out a rose. The "other" J.J. appeared in jeans wearing a Red Skins sweatshirt.

"Thank you, Spence," she said sweetly.

Garcia gasped.

"Oh my gosh, is this that date?" she asked.

J.J. cringed. "Yes, it is."

Endnote:

Sorry for the cliffhanger. I need to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for the follows and favorites!

Chapter Four:

They followed J.J. and Reid to the stadium.

"You went on a date with Reid?" Prentiss said. "How did I not know about this?"

"We agreed to never speak of it," J.J. said with a sigh and turned to Garcia. "You only know because Morgan told you."

"Morgan said Reid wouldn't say anything about the date," Garcia said.

"I can't believe you went out with him," Rossi said.

"He was so sweet when he asked on the plane," J.J. said. "I couldn't say no."

They watched as Reid and J.J. went to the concession stand.

"I'll have a beer," J.J. said.

"Water for me," he said.

The vendor gave the price of the drink and Reid looked shocked. J.J. quickly paid.

"That is an overcharge of eighty percent," he said. "That should be illegal."

She laughed. "That is why my family started smuggling beer into games.

"But that _is_ illegal."

"Unless your caught," she said with a smile.

Reid didn't look amused.

"Relax," she said.

"Okay," he said.

J.J. stood and watched. "It only goes downhill from here. Do I have to relive the whole date?"

"We don't know how dreams work here," Lewis said.

"It was cute hearing about how heads weighed slightly more on a coin and about the fabric of the team's uniforms, but he was starting to annoy me when they threw that interception during second quarter and I missed it because he was discussing the history of using paint on the face."

Then the dream shifted so they were standing just behind them in the stands.

"You don't seem happy," he said.

"No, it's not that," she said and shouted: "Get the ball back!"

"Must you yell things like that?" he asked.

"It's fun," she said. "You call that a block?" she shouted. "I could do better!"

"Insulting people doesn't sound like fun," he said.

"It's harmless fun," she said. "Sack him!" she screamed.

"You're really not helping the morale of the team," he said.

"In its own way it is," she said impatiently. "Stop him, you morons!"

"No need for name-calling," he muttered.

She stared at him. "I'm beginning to think football isn't your sport."

"Because I don't like insulting the team?" he asked.

"Because you're not getting into the game," she said.

"I am," he said. "I am enjoying the experience with you."

The crowd exploded in cheers. The Redskins had intercepted the ball and ran it in for a touchdown.

"Damnit Spence," she said angrily. "I missed the play!"

"It's only a game," Reid said.

"That is becoming hard to enjoy because of you!" she yelled.

There was a lightning strike.

A hooded figure with a gold mask appeared. His blade of lightning appeared ready to strike Reid.

"No!" J.J. screamed. She tried to leap but felt rooted the spot. Reid stared blankly at the blade.

"I'm sorry I'm ruining the experience for you," he said.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you," the non-dream J.J. said. "You don't like sports. Gideon shouldn't have given you those tickets, but he did. We discovered we were better off friends. I love you Spence!"

Reid suddenly looked up. "J.J?"

"Spence, duck!" she shouted.

He did as instructed without looking just as the lightning blade hit the chair. The sound roared through the stadium as the game went on uninterrupted.

J.J. pulled out her gun and shot at the cloaked figure. The rest of the team did the same. The figure stumbled briefly and Reid ran down the stands. They kept shooting until the figure dissolved into the stadium with a slight rumble.

"So, guns work on these things," Rossi said. "Good to know."

"Spence," J.J. said frantically. "Where is Spencer?"

"He ran," Alvez said. "He must have gone deeper into his mind."

"This is over ten years ago," J.J. said. "How much further could he dive?"

"We still don't know how this world works," Prentiss said. "Deeper could mean towards the present or the past."

The sound of rumbling and squealing of breaks. The team looked up and saw a subway train where the upper levels should have been.

"Let's find out," Rossi said.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi. I wouldn't mind a review. It helps me see how the story is flowing.

Chapter Five:

A few minutes later, they appeared to get off at what looked like a bus stop.

"It is warm here," Rossi commented.

Alvez looked across the street and saw the sign.

"This is Reid's high school," he said.

"That was a mixed bag for Spence," J.J. said. "But mostly bad."

"So, where is he?" Lewis asked. "The science lab?"

A teenage girl with strawberry blond hair was leading a young blindfolded Reid by the hand down the sidewalk.

"Just a little further," she said.

"Okay," he said obediently.

They followed them into the football stadium. There was a group of jocks and cheerleaders standing around not making any noise.

"I don't like this," Garcia said.

"Now take one step back," she said.

He did as instructed and took a step closer to the goal post. A jock came from behind and quickly pulled his shirt off.

"Hey!" Reid said as the blindfold fell off.

The jock wasn't listening and pulled both his pants and his shorts down.

The team instinctively turned away. They couldn't stand seeing him like this.

"Stop!" he cried.

"Throw his stuff in the dumpster!" one said.

"You're hurting me!" he said.

"Keep those knots loose," the girl who led him here said. "We want him to free himself later!"

"Behold the naked genius," one of the jocks said and everyone burst out laughing.

The team cringed as they listened. Unable and unsure of what to do.

"You know the last time I saw a dick this small was on my baby cousin," a cheerleader said. "You really thought you could deflower Alexa with this?"

The group laughed.

"Leave me alone!" Reid said.

"Awe look," another jock said. "He is even starting to cry like a baby."

There was the familiar sound of thunder followed by a lightning strike. The team turned to see a hooded figure in a gold mask running towards them with a blade made of lightning.

Rossi turned first. "Reid, you need to snap out of it," he said. "This is just a dream."

Alvez went around tried to undo the knots.

"They're too tight," he said. "I can't seem to break them."

Reid was crying hard. "Stop hurting me," he pleaded.

"Reid, please it's me David," Rossi said. "I'd never hurt you."

Prentiss and J.J. began to shoot at the hooded figure to no avail.

Lewis approached him stroked his cheek.

"It's okay Spencer, I'll make sure these students are punished," she said.

"But what'll I tell my mom?" he sobbed out.

The figure kept running towards them.

"We'll tell her there was a minor incident but you're safe, and those responsible are being punished."

"But my clothes!"

"We'll dig out some gym clothes for you to wear home."

"Lewis?" a less squeaky Reid said and looked down on himself. "Well, this is embarrassing."

"Not anymore," Rossi said and threw his jacket around his middle.

"I had to use a garbage bag I dug out of a janitor's closet," he said.

J.J. looked to him as Prentiss kept firing.

"Spence how did you end up here?" she asked.

"I was aiming for the sanitarium where my mom stayed, when I was pulled here," he said.

Prentiss turned to him.

"Reid how do we stop them?" she asked. "Guns worked last time, why not here?"

"They're adapting," he said. "You need something stronger."

"Like what?"

"Like this?" Garcia said pulling out a flaming battle ax.

"How did you do that?" Prentiss said shocked.

"I think I'm a little more imaginative, than you guys," she said.

The hooded figure was upon them and Garcia sliced him cleanly in half.

Reid began to undo the knots. "There are more where that came from."

"How do we stop them?" J.J. asked. "How do we finish this?"

"I-we wake up when you've fought them all. I need to keep moving," he said and undid the last strap.

"Stay with us Reid," Rossi said. "Take the subway."

"I can't," he said. "I built the subway in case something like this were to happen. The praedo can track me more easily there."

There was the rumble of thunder.

"I need to go," he said. "Keep fighting and thanks."

He ran a short distance with Rossi's coat before discarding it. There was the squealing of breaks and a subway train appeared in front of his coat.

Lightning struck and a hood figure appeared in the distance.

"Come on!" Prentiss yelled.

Everyone quickly got on the train.

J.J. collapsed into a seat as the train started to move.

"Well that explains a few things," Rossi said.

J.J. shook her head. "I don't know if I can do this. We haven't even seen what Hankel did to him when the camera wasn't on. I don't like seeing him hurt."

Prentiss rubbed her shoulder. "We can do this J.J." she said firmly. "Together we can do anything."

Alvez looked to Lewis. "How did you know talking to him like that would work?"

"He was too young to recognize us as his team so I presented myself as comforting authority figure," she said. "It was what was needed to break the 'spell.'"

"Keep thinking creatively like that Lewis, and Garcia," Prentiss said. "I have a feeling we're going to need a lot more of it in the future."


	6. Chapter 6

I hope you're enjoying this. I feel like I'm the only one at this point.

Chapter Six:

"Guys, we've got to think of something," Prentiss said. "We need to prepare for the next stop."

"Where do you think it will be?" Lewis asked.

"The Hankel shack," J.J. said sadly.

"Or DC where he was exposed to Anthrax," Garcia said.

"Really?" Alvez said.

"Or jail," Rossi said. "But for some reason I think that might be the end location."

Prentiss pulled out a marker. "Let's think this through." She drew a circle. "The circle is the surface. The first stop is J.J.'s date, the second is Reid's bullying experience. These are important moments in his life. He gets trapped in them until we come in, get his attention, and save him from the praedo. Then he disappears and a subway train pops up."

"We could be doing this forever," Rossi said.

"So how do we break the path?" Prentiss asked.

"We jump the tracks," Alvez said.

"But Bellator said to take the subway," J.J. said.

"She said to trust Reid to guide us where we need to be," Alvez.

"It sounds risky," Lewis said.

"What's riskier is getting stuck in Reid's worst memories for eternity," Prentiss said.

"We could also get stuck here if we deviate from the path," Garcia said.

"Reid can build us a new path when we save him," Prentiss said.

"This still sounds dangerous," Lewis said.

"Guys," Prentiss said. "I know we're all scared and scared for Reid. But we can't go around following the rules of the praedo. We need to act. Let's jump the train."

Without warning, the walls fell apart. The team fell to their knees as the platform dissolved also. They rolled on to the dark ground.

"Everyone okay?" Prentiss said.

"Yeah," Rossi said. "My knees in the real world wouldn't have survived this though."

"Where are we?" Lewis asked.

J.J. spotted the headstones.

"A cemetery," she said.

"Where?" Garcia asked.

They could hear the sound of sobbing. They followed it.

"Oh my god," Prentiss said.

Reid is kneeling at head stone with his shirtsleeves rolled up. A syringe is pointed at his arm as he cried. The headstone said: EMILY PRENTISS

"I want to be with you, Emily," he sobbed. "I want to be with you."

J.J. tried to lean down beside him, but she merely goes through him.

Prentiss approached him. "Reid I'm here. Reid!"

Her hand goes through him when she tries to touch his shoulder.

Rossi shook his head.

"I knew the kid had it rough," he said. "But I never imagined it was this bad."

"He loved you, Emily," a voice said.

They all turned around to see Maeve Donovan in a green dress approaching them.

"He had a slight crush on J.J. but you were the first woman he fell for," she said. "He knew you didn't feel the same way and was happy to be your friend. Dying broke his heart for the first time though."

"I-I didn't, know," Prentiss said.

She smiled. "For a group of profilers, you can all be a little oblivious at times."

J.J. approached her.

"Can you help him?"

She nodded and whispered something into his ear. Then in an instant, Maeve was gone.

"Guys?" he said, looking around. He quickly dropped the syringe.

J.J. hugged him. "You're okay," she said. "And Prentiss is alive."

"I know," he said. "So, which one of you, woke me up this time?"

"Maeve," Garcia said. "Does she live here?"

"Part of her does," he said. "I discuss ideas with the person I knew."

There was the rumble of thunder.

J.J. clung to him tightly. "I'm not leaving you again."

"What do we do?" Reid said.

"We take a stand," Alvez said and pulled out a rocket launcher. "This ends now," he said.

With an enormous flash of lightning an army of praedo appear.

"We can't fight them all," Rossi said.

"Imagine the biggest weapons you think of," Prentiss said. "The more absurd, the better."

Lewis appeared in full armor with a bow containing six flaming arrows.

Garcia imagined an enormous fire-breathing dragon.

"When did you have time to watch Game of Thrones?" Rossi asked as he pulled out a high-powered machine gun.

"I didn't sleep much," she said.

Prentiss had pulled out an Uzi and glanced back to see Reid and J.J. had disappeared.

"Where are they?" she asked desperately.


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for the support!

Chapter Seven:

"Spence?" J.J. said looking around. "Where are we?"

It looked like a nursing facility. There were sitting rooms and workers dressed in simple green uniforms.

"Hello, Mrs. Jareau," a voice said. "It is good to see you."

J.J. turned to see what looked like an older version of herself speaking with the receptionist. Her hair was graying and it was shorter.

"You too Hellen," she said. "How is he today?"

"One of his better days," she said. "You can go on in and see him."

J.J. followed her older self down the hall. She took two quick rights and walked into a room.

She hadn't seen his hair so short in a long time. It too was a little gray along the edges. He was wearing gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt under a white robe, while reading a book.

"J.J!" Reid said with a smile, when he saw her.

"Spence," she said and walked over to him. She gave him a quick hug.

"How are the boys?" he asked.

"Henry has finally decided to major in physics of all things. Michael just got his license but he can only drive the car on the weekends and so help him if he isn't home by eleven," she said with a laugh.

Reid wasn't laughing.

"I just took Henry to the Aerospace Museum," he said. "He told me he wanted to be a test pilot. And Michael can barely maneuver his trike without help from Will."

"Spence," she said patiently. "That was nearly ten years ago. They've grown up, unfortunately."

"But that makes no sense," he said desperately. "I've been following the news as much as they let me here and it sounds like four of the serial killers we caught are still on the loose."

"Spence, we caught or killed them all," she said. "What you're hearing about are probably coincidences. I think a copycat is on the loose also."

"I've been tracking a pattern," he said and pulled out some paper with random doodles. "Let me show you…"

"Okay," she said and took a seat beside him.

He pointed to a squiggle. "This is where the unsub dumps the bodies, which is odd because…"

J.J. took a step back.

"This is your darkest hour, isn't it Spence?" she said. "Your greatest fear. Hankel has nothing on the fear of you losing the ability to comprehend time and place."

She walked out of the room and looked around the hallway. She pulled the fire alarm. Nothing happened. She closed her eyes and opened them reveal the flame-thrower she imagined. She set fire to the nurse's station, but no one seemed to notice. They worked around the flames. J.J. pulled out a gun and marched into Reid's room. Her hands shook slightly as she took aim.

The shot made a noise but Reid didn't react. He didn't stumble as though she had shot him in the heart.

"Damnit," she said tearfully.

J.J. looked around wildly. "Maeve, where are you? Help!"

No one emerged.

Suddenly it hit her. It scared her, but she knew she had to do it. There was no other way.

With trepidation, she walked into the room.

"I'm doing this for you Spencer," she said. "I trust you. I trust you completely."

She pulled out her gun again and aimed it at her head.

"Wake up, Spence," she said and pulled the trigger.


	8. Chapter 8

I hope you enjoy this.

Chapter Eight:

The earth trembled as they fought the praedo. A slash of green lightning flew through the sky and suddenly the team felt very demoralized. Like a piece of their hearts had been pulled out.

Prentiss noticed this.

"Guys," she said. "Fight on! We're gaining on them!"

There were tears in Garcia's as she launched another flaming javelin.

"I think something bad happened to J.J." she said.

"Try not to think about it," she said. "If something did, then it is more important than ever that we keep fighting."

But it hurt. J.J. was her best friend. She kept her company while she was in witness protection. The pain was awful.

"Prentiss, look out!"

Alvez ducked in front of her. A lightning sword made contact with his shoulder and he was gone.

There was a flash of blue lightning. Another wave of sadness fell over the team.

"Keep fighting," Prentiss cried. "Fight for Reid, J.J., and Alvez!"

Garcia began to slow down. She had given him such a hard time and now he was gone.

Prentiss screamed as a bullet of lightning hit Garcia's chest.

A flash of pink lightning darted across the sky. The world felt less cheerful.

"Prentiss!" Rossi shouted. He shot balls of fire over his shoulder.

"We can do this," he said panting. "We CAN do this!"

"I'm trying," she said and pulled out a shield. The huddled behind it.

"I never doubted you could do this job," he said. "Your leadership style is different. It fits our needs better. Hotch would have been good but you did great. These past months have been hell but you never gave up and we are still alive. We will get through this."

"Thanks David," Prentiss said. "I needed to hear that."

She and Rossi fought in sync. Lewis joined them with her crossbow.

"We're going to make it," Lewis said confidently.

"Absolutely," Prentiss said.

They kept fighting. To their amazement, fewer praedo were approaching them.

"Don't let up for a second!" Prentiss said.

Eventually, only one enormous praedo was left. The towering figure slowly approached the team. Nothing was making contact. The praedo swatted away bullets and arrows alike. Flames seemed to swirl around the figure. It was haunting.

The figure was within two feet of them. They would not let up even as nothing continued to make contact. Slowly the praedo removed the gold mask.

The team screamed. Rossi took a shot.

The sky was filled with red, purple, and orange lightning.


	9. Chapter 9

For those looking for a quick story, this one should be done tonight.

Chapter Nine:

"NO!" Reid screamed as he saw blood and brain matter leak from J.J.'s head. He tenderly touched it. "No," he whimpered.

There was the sound of thunder followed by lightning. A Praedo appeared. The sword of lightning was ready strike him.

"No," Reid said firmly. "J.J. died for me. I won't let it be permanent."

"You don't have a choice," the Praedo said.

The figure limped slightly as it approached him.

"You're hurt," he said. "I can beat you."

"You can't," the praedo said and lifted off its mask. "Because I am you."

It was the scruffy, red-rimmed version of himself from prison.

"I'm not afraid of you," Reid said.

"But you are," Praedo Reid said. "I am a manifestation of your inner darkness you have been suppressing. Cat Adams set me free with the help of the scopolamine."

"I can beat you," he said with fury.

"I have killed all your friends," Praedo Reid said. "You are alone, you cannot overtake me."

"Someone hurt you," he said. "Some took a shot at me. I am not alone."

"YES. YOU. ARE!" Praedo Reid said and suddenly, in a gust of wind, Reid was strapped to a chair in Hankel's shack.

"You cannot beat me," Praedo Reid said. "You have not been dreaming. Your thinking is warped. Your death will be swift."

Reid held his head down briefly. It was all too much. He hadn't been sleeping. His team fought hard but lost against the weight of his misery. There was no hope.

There was blood on the floor. The praedo's. His team's parting gift.

"NO!" Reid said and stood up from the chair, breaking it in pieces.

He reached for the throat of the praedo.

"I will not give up. My team came to save me. I will not let their loss go unavenged. I am stronger!"

He took the praedo by the throat and slammed him through the wall and into Reid's apartment. The sword had fallen and Reid picked it up.

"I will always be in you," Praedo Reid said. "Ready to strike when you are weak. When you succumb to your darkness again."

"You will have a long wait then," he said and raised the blade high.

The sound of the lightning strike could be heard above deepest and darkest storms in the world.


End file.
